Michael Singer

SAN FRANCISCO — Now that Microsoft and Sun Microsystems have settled their legal battles, the companies say they are looking forward to a better relationship between .NET and Java. As part of their $1.95 billion legal settlement, the two companies will allow certain intellectual property to be shared, starting with Windows Server and Windows Client, […]

European regulators put Oracle’s $9.4 billion plan to acquire PeopleSoft under the microscope this week, but may delay a decision until the U.S. courts have their say. The Redwood Shores, Calif.-based software giant Thursday wrapped up its two-day hearing behind closed doors in response to the European Commission (EC) “statement of objections,” which Oracle said […]

Search engine Google is keeping the heat on its rivals with the upcoming launch of a free webmail service, known as Gmail. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company said it is offering a preview version to a “small number of e-mail aficionados.” When fully available, the free webmail service is expected to have the storage capacity […]

Graphics chipmaker ATI Wednesday said company chairman and CEO K.Y. Ho is shedding his executive title and will step aside on June 1. Dave Orton, currently ATI’s President and COO, will become CEO at that time. A statement issued by the company said the move is a natural succession, planned when Orton joined ATI in […]

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Hardware and software players are positioning themselves to combine two of the Internet’s success stories — Wi-Fi and VoIP — onto one hardware platform. Literally every OEM is working on some type of WLAN phone, according to IDC. A 2003 report from the analyst firm shows that VoIP endpoints have 10 […]

MENLO PARK, Calif. — Sun Microsystems is again focusing beyond its hardware and software vendor status toward a Java-fueled systems strategy, the company said Tuesday. During its first ever Software Summit, Sun executives reiterated the message that the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company’s success is closely tied to its cross-platform programming language. The company said it […]

A computer maker that specializes in Solaris-based systems is the first Sun partner to develop AMD chips for its 64-bit notebooks. Cupertino, Calif.-based Tadpole Monday said the new systems would be for sale in the second quarter of 2004. The notebooks will come pre-installed with Sun Microsystems’ Java Desktop System (JDS) and will be able […]

Intergraph came out on top of two lingering patent infringement lawsuits against Intel and Dell, the company said Tuesday. As part of its out of court settlement, Santa Clara, Calif.-based Intel is paying Huntsville, Ala.-based Intergraph $225 million to put to rest the last few details of a patent infringement suit. The complaint centered on […]

If the computer is the network, than Sun Microsystems says it is investing in better ways of connecting its hardware. The Santa Clara, Calif.-based network computer maker Monday inked a deal with National Semiconductor to help it build a high-performance, mixed-signal networking chip. The processor would be used in Sun’s GigaSwift Ethernet product line and […]

Microsoft took the wraps off a preview of the next level of its Windows operating environment for non-PC devices Monday. The company announced its Technology Preview Kit for Windows CE 5.0. The OS is designed to give small-footprint devices such as PDAs, digital cameras, printers, scanners and retail point-of-sale terminals the same graphics and multimedia […]

A privately owned chip design firm in Santa Clara, Calif. is taking on Dell and Intel in a Texas courtroom over several alleged patent violations. MicroUnity Systems Engineering Friday said it has filed its complaint in the United States District Court in Marshall, Texas. The lawsuit alleges that certain Dell computers and Intel’s Pentium 3 […]

In its quest to make smaller, more cost-effective chips IBM said it has chartered a cross-foundry design “enablement” program this week with Singapore-based Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Armonk, N.Y.-based computer maker said it wants to “significantly increase the pool of available IP and design solutions for 90-nanometer chips and beyond,” which continues to be one […]